Let's talk about spelling.

[lettered]

Let's talk about spelling.



Let's start with the orgasmic moan, because we all know that's why you clicked the cut. Except expand that to not only about moan, but all sounds made during sex. Expand that further to not only sex sounds, but any sounds made at any time that don't really have real letter representations: the moan, the groan, the grunt, the scream, the cry, the cheer, the tsk, the huff--whatever else you can think of.

1. What are your thoughts on writing out those sounds?

For instance, would you prefer to see Angel moaned Or, "Uhh," Angel moaned in text? Does it really make a difference? For me, it does. I hate to write out moans, and generally I don't like to see them because no matter how you spell them, moans don't sound like letters. Then again, in rare instances, especially in smut, a moan written out affects me more than just being told someone moaned, becuase, like dialogue, it is more immediate.

2. Now, how do you spell them?

We've got some traditional spellings: "ugh", "humph", "ah", "aw", "aiee", "uh", "mm", "harrumph", "ahem", "eh" and "oh". Are these spellings modifiable? For instance, I rarely make the sound, "Humph." It's more like a "hmph"--but dictionary.com doesn't have that. And yet, it's pretty easy to decipher my meaning and imagine the sound.

a. But what if we start more complex modifications, such as writing out a moan during sex, which is is more often "Uhhghnn" than "Uh"? Maybe "Uhhghnn" is a rather neat letter representation that you can actually relate to, but what about, "Uhhhghahhhnnnnoh!" Can you imagine that sound? Would you want to read it in a fic? At what point does it start to look stupid, rather than add an element of realism?

b. How many letters can you add to one of these words--is there a limit? I find, "Mmmmmmmmmm" to be very annoying in text, because "Mmm" conveys the meaning without looking ridiculous. But to me, that visual aspect of the text is something that can pull me right out of a fic. And anyway, do people really "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh" for that long?

c. How do you differentiate? "Ah" can mean a sound of realization, as in "ah ha!" But it can also be soothing. "She's rubbing my back. Ahhh." Or it can be a scream. "Vampires. Ahh!" (And notice my addition of letters. Is the difference between reliation "ah" and soothing "ahh" an extra "h"? Same with "oh". There's a realization: "Oh, I get it," and a wonderment, "oooh, pretty fireworks". And I've seen people use "ugh" as an expression of disgust and a sound of pleasure. Do they really sound the same?

---

Now, technically the above words, such as "ugh", are interjections (any member of a class of words expressing emotion," dictionary.com). But I differentiate from noise words (the above) to words we say. (Sometimes they overlap. "Tsk", I think, can both be a sound and a word you say.) I mean words such as "yuck!", "ow!", "oops!", et al. And there's a level up of interjection from that, words that aren't exclamations, such as, "yeah".

3. Uh-huh, uh-uh. What the hell do they mean? And how do we spell them?

I hate to see these words in text. To me, "uh-huh" means an affirmative, and "uh-uh" means a negative. But I've seen people jumble them up until I don't know which is which. And yet, I use them in text too, because there's nothing quite like "uh-huh"--the laziest, most not committed, non attentive kind of affirmative. And what about "nuh-uh"?

4. whoa.

This is where it begins to get complicated. The reason I did this post is that sometimes I'm aggravated by the feeling that certain interjections are mispelled, and I want to correct people. For instance, some people spell this word, "woah" and it drives me ABSOLUTE BONKERS. Then I begin to question myself. I can't spell a moan, and to me, "hmph" is a perfectly valid thing to write in text. How do I know how to spell, "whoa"? dictionary.com has it, and does not have "woah". But this dictionary only has "whoa" in the context of when the word used to mean "stop" (as in, a command to stop a horse). It doesn't have the other more contemporary, slang usages of "whoa". Is there a right and a wrong way to spell this word? Is it, in fact, more of a noise word, with which you can take liberties without alienating readers?

5. yeah, yea, and yay.

This is my biggest pet peeve of all, and yet, I don't think I--or possibly anyone else--really has the authority to put the smackdown on those who use "yea" in a way that makes me ITCH. According to dictionary.com, "yea" is pronounce "yey"--as in, rhymes with "hay," what horses eat--as in, same word as "yay!" a word you use when you're happy to get something, or the word you use to delineate size "when I was yay big"). Now, the meaning of "yea" is yes, and back in the day, it was probably used colloquially. But nowadays, people use "yeah", pronounced as "yah", rhymes with the "ma" sound in the word "mad". But dictionary.com doesn't have that pronounciation, and who's to say how "yeah" is really spelled? I've seen "ya" (which always strikes me as ja, as in German) and "yah", both of which look wrong to me).

I could google around and try to find the "right" answer; I could examine other dictionaries, including those that some consider the "final authority" (e.g., the OED)--but I'm not interested in that so much as how it strikes you in fic/writing/text. I've seen smart people who's writing and intelligence and rudimentary knowledge of such things I respect using "yea" when I think they should be using "yeah" in great, beautiful, grammatically perfect fic. So, what gives? Should this not bother me? Do you feel there's a right or wrong answer to things like this? What do you feel that answer is?

---

6. Lastly, there's just something I want to throw out there about what I see as "newer" interjections. "Whoa" evolved from the "stop" command to mean something else, nowadays (though it can still mean "stop"). But are other interjections being created? I see "gah" around all the time now, and never used to. It's not in dictionary.com. And "guh".

7. What about "internet" words? What about "glomp"? Didn't "squick" evolve from internet usage? Is it weird to have a character say something like that in a fic?

8. How do you pronounce, "eh?"

Comments

[ex-dovil323.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a cool post. I must admit I fall over in stitches of laughter when I see people getting a bit carried away spelling noises out. "Narrghhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" *gasp, gasp, gasp*! There is some serious lung capacity going on there and I'm kind of surprised that the neighbours don't end up calling the cops.

I like 'gah', it's a more glottaral sounding take on the old 'ah'. See, even written noises get modernised. :D

Eh to me rhythmes with meh, which you know, sounds like eh. What?

[tkp.livejournal.com]

The most frustrating thing about all those "a"'s is actually that you don't KNOW their lung capacity because who's to say how long each "a" lasts? really?

Eh, I prounounce it different ways at different times. I guess not everyong does it that way, eh?

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Please to be noticing the "Ahhhuuuuaaan," Buffy replied mention. Yeah. I dont' care for it.

And honestly, I don't need to know what Angel moaned. That's too detailed. Let me imagine he's saying my name what he's doing. I don't like the camera jammed in there so close I can count pores.

I personally do NOT like to see the work "squick" in fic. It's not a real word.

Eh: Accompanied by a face (like my icon) "Uh." From a Canadian, like it's spelled.

I agree with your response on #3. (And now I back away from the 'puter for dinner is calling me!)

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I *do* like the camera jammed in there so close I can count pores on occasion though, I really do. It can be used to great effect both in a sex scene and else where. But is writing out a moan really an effective way of doing that? I want to say know, because in general I don't like it, but on occasion it has affected me.

Then again lint sometimes makes me weep so who knows?

I wish I could think of some other internet words besides squick that are internet words that I see pop up in fic. I just thought of squick because I saw it in a fic the other day. But anyway, a word like that, it's hard for me to remember it's not a word everyone uses, because it's *such* a perfect word, and what's a word to mean what that means, anyway?

See, I always thought from a Canadian "eh" was pronounced more like "ay".

So, there was a preview for a movie I saw with Will Ferrel, I think it's called, Better Than Fiction? It also had Emma Thompson (who I ADORE) and Dustin Hoffman and someone else really cool I can't remember. I fangirled for you.

Then I thought about licking Edward Norton's face for two hours.

Well. IMO

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

Spelling out sex noises is adolescent writing style. Let the flames begin.

Re: Well. IMO

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

Ugh!

Re: Well. IMO

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I feel that way most of the time, but every once in a while I've found it kind of hot. Not big long uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggggggnnnnnnnns but...I don't know. Fics at aff.n get me hot and I suspect the meaning of that is not that any of it is any less adolescent but that I am a slut.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I think fic should just have everyone ululate during sex and be done with it.

[ex-dovil323.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha! This so needs to be done.

[lostakasha.livejournal.com]

aiyeee

yee yee yee yee

Was it good for you?

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Did anyone else have the "Interjections!" song from Schoolhouse Rock going through their heads while reading this post?

I love that particular Schoolhouse Rock video above all the rest.


Also, "aiee!" is my favorite interjection. Doonesbury uses it frequently, and it always makes me laugh.

WHEEEE!!!!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Interjections (Hey!) show excitement (Yow!) or emotion (Ouch!).
They're generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point,
Or by a comma when the feeling's not as strong.

So when you're happy (Hooray!) or sad (aw!)
Or frightened (eek!) or mad (rats!)
Or excited (Wow!) or glad (Hey!)
An interjection starts a sentence right.

[rahirah]

1. What are your thoughts on writing out those sounds? For instance, would you prefer to see Angel moaned Or, "Uhh," Angel moaned in text?

It depends on the context. I do both, though I'm more apt to just say that X moaned because I think that writing it out can look silly if it's over-used.


2. Now, how do you spell them?

Phonetically. If I want someone to moan "Ohhhwawerrowooo!" I'll have 'em moan "Ohhhwawerrowooo!" (And yea, this can look silly if take to ridiculous extremes, so...don't take it to ridiculous extremes.) I don't have any particular letter limit; I go with what looks right and won't wrap (or fail to wrap) obnoxiously. As for differentiating, if I haven't made it clear in context whether "Oh," is an "Oh" of surprise, an "oh" of "I see, that answers my question," or an "Oh" of "Some has just poked me with a sharp stick," then I've done a very poor job of writing the scene.

3. Uh-huh, uh-uh. What the hell do they mean? And how do we spell them?

Uh-huh is an affirmative. Uh-uh and nuh-uh are negatives. Anyone who says otherwise is wrong.

4. whoa.

I spell it "Whoa," but as it's used to mean far different things than "Stop, horse!" these days, I don't object unduly if it's spelled "Woah." If nothing else, I think you could make a good argument that "Whoa/woah" derives from "Wow" rather than "Whoa/stop."

5. yeah, yea, and yay.

I spell "Yeah" with an H, save on rare occasion when I spell it "Yeh," or "Yah." Whenever I use a spelling that is not "yeah," I am trying to indicate to the reader that the character is pronouncing the word in a non-standard fashion. I've never seen it spelled "yea."

I only use "Yay" if I mean "Hurray!"


6. I see "gah" around all the time now, and never used to. It's not in dictionary.com. And "guh".

I have no objection to using those words so long as we remember that they weren't current in the early years of the show–they should only be used in later and post-show fics, IMO.

7. What about "internet" words? What about "glomp"? Didn't "squick" evolve from internet usage? Is it weird to have a character say something like that in a fic?

Which character are we talking about? Angel or Wesley or Giles? Probably not. Buffy doesn't show much interest in computers. But for some characters in some time periods, sure. We know that Willow, for example, was internet-savvy and probably wrote and maybe even posted Doogie Houser fanfic. I could easily see Willow using net words (though not L33T-speak, because that would horrify her order-loving soul.) And if a story's set post-show, then it seems very likely that characters who are in their late teens or early twenties might have a passing familiarity with net jargon. I mean, hell, Dawn's probably hanging out on MySpace 24/7 like everyone else her age. And Andrew? He's a total geek.

8. How do you pronounce, "eh?"

"Eh." Take off, hoser!

[rahirah]

Or, you know, I use "yea" when I FORGET HOW TO TYPE.

[43100.livejournal.com]

I am insulted for the "words" you did not mention:

pah!, meh, uhm, grah, wah!

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I've been thiking about them ever since. I was actually thinking about "meh" while driving home.

[kaosmalek.livejournal.com]

I'm a spelling and grammer whore, and there are so many people in fandoms that fail to realize that spelling 'there', as in 'I will go there', as 'their' is about the most annoying thing a body could do. ...While that's beside the point, it is what your post put me in mind of.
As to orgasmic moaning: I am fairly against the practice of writing out moans. I think it's redundant. I do, however, write things like... "A sound emerged from the back of her throat; langorous and low, and capable of leaving small fires in it's wake", or, if I'm feeling less... colorful, I'll say something like, "A low sound broke from her lips, sounding somewhere between a moan and a sigh."
I generally prefer to leave the 'moaning' up to other writers, though, in it's entirety. I think a talented writer can do so much better that falling back on those old stand-in terms.

"yeah, yea, and yay."
Ooooh, these ones get on my nerves. People use them incorrectly all of the time. To my knowledge, 'yeah', pertains to a statement like, 'yeah, I understand', 'yea' is some archaic word that I'll probably never use unless I decide to write a fantasy, so I could care less about it, and 'yay' is "Yay, I won the lottery!'. If you read fanfiction, however, they all mean each other and vice versa. Hmph.

I suppose I sound like I've got my own little soapbox, and I'm never coming down... but I really think that in order to be a writer one must strive to be literate. And well-read. Well-read people find it easier to use these terms correctly simply because they see them used correctly on a regular basis.

Internet words are... well, it's a constant battle with me. I hatehatehate the whole LOL, LMFAO, ROGL thing. It drives me CRAZY. But I use 'guh' and 'gah' and things like *runs away smirking* all the time. It's my inner hypocrite coming to the surface. ;) <-- and yes, I do tend to crack out on the winking smiley face thing. Shame on me!

Laastly, I pronounce 'eh' like an old man would, saying "I'm sorry sonny, what was that? I couldn't quite make it out; my hearing is lamentable." Only, you know, simplified.

[kaosmalek.livejournal.com]

It's also incredibly possible that I should look to my own words of wisdom more often. Can you count all of the mistakes in my previous comment?
They are many. Legion, in fact.

[lynnenne]

"Uhhhghahhhnnnnoh" sounds like someone having a bowel movement. SO not what I want to read in a sex scene.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Unless it's a *sexy* bowel movement.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

When Keanu says it, you write "Whoa"

When Joey Lawrence says it, you write "Woah"

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Who's Joey Lawrence?

[earth-vexer.livejournal.com]

For instance, some people spell this word, "woah" and it drives me ABSOLUTE BONKERS.
Argh. Me too. 'Whoa,' like 'yeah' and unlike 'argh,' is a well-established word in the English language and the correct spelling is 'whoa.' No question.

Didn't "squick" evolve from internet usage? Is it weird to have a character say something like that in a fic?
It depends on the character. I think it's something Willow or maybe Buffy might say (Buffy wouldn't know it was internet-speak, though. She'd probably pick it up from Willow or maybe Andrew). It sounds kind of Jossian.

How do you pronounce, "eh?"
It depends on the context of the sentence and how Canadian I'm feeling at the moment. It's either 'eh' (like meh) to indicate indifference or whateverness or it's 'ay' in a question like "That's pretty ridiculous, eh?"

Yes, I am obsessed with spelling.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

rahirah pointed out that the contemporary usage of "whoa" could very likely be a derivative of "wow"--which I also think is very possible. Since as far as I can tell the "correct" spelling of a word is based on its derivation--who's to say?

I think it's something Willow or maybe Buffy might say (Buffy wouldn't know it was internet-speak, though. She'd probably pick it up from Willow or maybe Andrew). It sounds kind of Jossian.

I feel that way as well. I can't remember whether I used it, but I do remember casting about for a synonym for "gross" that Buffy might say with her often quirky and witty vocab, and came up with "squicky".

It's either 'eh' (like meh) to indicate indifference or whateverness or it's 'ay' in a question like "That's pretty ridiculous, eh?"


That's exactly how I think of it, too.

[lostakasha.livejournal.com]

I let language make the sound because I want to get the reader in the room justenough to be absorbed but not so much that they're led by the hand.

Here's an example of something I tried:

falling and I don't want to let go, not ready to let go and I rock deeper into him, hear him moan and call out to me and feel him thrash and shiver and I know...

slam into him, and he bellows like a bull at the feel of it, bucking into me, primal and wild and so fucking beautiful and I am lost in the feel of him.

Surrounding me, engulfing me, devouring me and it's still not enough.

And I'm so not into inserting "fuuuuuuuuuccckkk" in sentences. Liek woah!

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Get me all hot and bothered, why don't you.

I think my point is really that I don't feel like every sex scene you don't want the reader at the same distance. Well, I guess if you're going for how close turns you on, or a particular audience on, it might be the same because people have their kinks. But sometimes you want the reader downstairs smoking a cigarette while characters are upstairs fucking, and sometimes you want the reader practically straddling the two backed monster, and sometimes it's somewhere in between. For me anyway. For you too, I suspect, because these bits you've put here are very close up but I've seen you stand back a bit further, too.

But anyway I don't feel like writing out a moan will help in that particular aspect. Telling me Angel moaned, "Uuughnn" doesn't specify what Angel moaned because that collection of letters *tells* me nothing.

Uh, I just realized I'm ranting. This is what happens when you get me hot and bothered!

And...I just realize how sad that is. I get turned on and I talk spelling? Sheesh.

[ravenwings-7.livejournal.com]

Whoa
My rule on words such as this is that although the meaning of the word may have changed, the word itself should stay the same so long as the new meaning can be pronounced accurately from the spelling. In other words, when I save a fic to my computer for personal use? "Woah" gets changed into "whoa."

7.
About a week or two ago, I read an otherwise good fic in which Angel used the word "squicked," which is when I realized that it really, really, bugs me when people in fics use geek words that they probably haven't even heard before, let alone adopted into their active vocabulary. Us fandom types sometimes forget that some words just aren't used outside the hallowed halls of LJ (or whatever other blog/board/site you're using). Example: I used "kerfuffle" in conversation this summer. I could have said that I balance live echidnas on my head for amusement, and the guy wouldn't have looked any more crosseyed (and he's someone fairly likely to understand geeky words, too).

8. How do you pronounce, "eh?"
If it's at the end of a sentence (How's life in Toronto, eh?), it's pronounced something like "ay" (watch a few episodes of Da Vinci's Inquest, you'll get the idea). If it's at the beginning (Eh, I'm not to sure about that...), then it's like it's spelled, only more nasal (kind of an "n" sound at the end).

[tkp.livejournal.com]

As I said about to earth_vexer:

rahirah pointed out that the contemporary usage of "whoa" could very likely be a derivative of "wow"--which I also think is very possible. Since as far as I can tell the "correct" spelling of a word is based on its derivation--who's to say?

7.
Maybe we read the same fic, because I recently read a fic where I paused at the use of the word "squick." Dude, what fic was that? The funny thing about the word "kerfuffle" is it's an old word, whereas I believe--correct me if I'm wrong--"squick" is relatively newly coined? I first heard "kerfuffle" when I first saw Anne of Green Gables and Marilla says, "I hope this kerfuffle with Diana Berry hasn't made her neglect her studies." I tried to use it after that, and yes, people looked at me as if I had said that I balance live echidnas on my head for amusement. (I just had to look echidna up).

8.
This is how I use "eh" too. I noticed recently some people actually writing, "ay", which made me itch a lot and want to say, "it's spelled 'eh'!"

[femmenerd.livejournal.com]

First of all, can I just say that I'm so glad you're back?

Right.

Here's my take on the grunting sex noises. I usually say "he moaned" or whatever, but on the rare occasion that I would write, "Uh," I would certainly not say: "Uh," he moaned. That's fucking redundant. I think that with most of the other things that you mentioned, i.e. the prolonged moan, say, that most of the time, I'd say no but allow for exceptions.

I use "Uh huh" and "Uh uh" if I actually think that is what the character would say. I do not, however, use dashes.

I also interpret "yea" as being pronounced "yeh." And I'm pretty sure that I used "woah" in the fic of mine you read this morning. Ha! I have no idea why it just looks right to me and for some reason seems distinguished from "whoa" as in "hold up there horsie" that way.

And I personally (as in my actual spoken diction) pronounce "eh" like...fuck how do I explain it? Let's just say that I'm not Canadian and maybe that covers it?

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Glad I'm back too! I'm glad you're all moved! I'm glad we're here! So happy, together!!! So how is the weather? Okay it might be a little late at night.

I use "Uh huh" and "Uh uh" if I actually think that is what the character would say.

My problem is lots of times I feel like the character *would* say those, but writers seem to mix them up so often--and they look so much alike--that I never quite know whether to trust whether it's a yes or a no when I read one or the other.

I do not, however, use dashes.

Do you mean hyphens? Sorry. Next I'm busting out the dash post.

And I'm pretty sure that I used "woah" in the fic of mine you read this morning.

I'm pretty sure my eye twitched.

I have no idea why it just looks right to me and for some reason seems distinguished from "whoa" as in "hold up there horsie" that way.

See, this is the thing. The contemporary meaning of "whoa" seems to be relatively new, and if it's a sound word or exclamation, is there really just one way to write it? Doesn't stop my eye twitching--but does stop me from stomping down my foot and saying I'm right and you're wrong.

I ask about "eh" because as I understand it it rhymes with "meh" sometimes but is also prounounced "ay" other times (other times in Canada ;o)

[frimfram.livejournal.com]

Most English accents render 'yeah' so it rhymes with 'hair' or 'feh,' not as 'yah.' So maybe that's why so many people have Spike saying 'yer.' Which just looks yokelly to me.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Didn't even think about the accent aspect.

Writing Spike's accent phonetically is a big turn off for me, always.

[mzzgoddessblue.livejournal.com]

what about words that seem to have two accepted spellings? the specific word i'm thinking of is "motherf***er". I've seen it "muthafu**er" and "motherfu**er". And when I went to write it in a fic, I'm buggered if I could work out which one to use. Would you use the "mutha" depending on the character, or do you think it would depend on how it was being said? As in, very angrily and shouting it. And when using "mother", would it be said in a quiet mean tone?

[tkp.livejournal.com]

To me, "mutha" is a phonetic spelling and "mother" is what I'd call...well, "proper" spelling. In general, I don't really like phonetic spellings. frimfram brought up Spike's accent--how some people try to write like he talks. Because we don't have spellings for the way he says things, people often make things up, and sometimes the making things up makes it illegible. Even if it's not illegible, if you write well enough I will hear his voice and you don't need to spell it out for me.

But "mutha" is kinda different in that it's in common usage, everyone knows what it means--like "gonna". I think "gonna" is in the dictionary these days, but my guess is that's fairly recent. But everyone knows "gonna" means "going to", and for a long time it's been accepted in text.

Um, anyway, it's not like I have an answer. I guess with most of these things, it's a matter of personal preference. I prefer "mother" but I could see why others would see it differently.

[my_daroga]

I was totally on board with the interjection aspect of the cut. You had me at "ugh."

Very interesting stuff. I don't know how much I think about this. I don't think I write a lot of non-word words. Though in "conversational netspeak," I have been known to use, for instance, "hunh" to mean "huh, really?" "hmm, yeah" or similar. It's because I don't think that the sound I make is really "huh," but something of more definitive sounding. To me.

I do notice and lament the lack of care taken with words that I consider real words, like yea/yeah. "Yea" is pronounced "yay," "yeah" yaa (or whatever). To me, "yea" implies Robin Hood or some other attempt at antiquing fiction. I think the only context I'd use "yea" is when saying "yea or nay." This also invites the question of how much to colloquialize; Americans, for the most part, don't say "yes" when they mean "yeah." So should we write out "because"? I don't know about you, but I hardly ever keep the "be-" part.

"Eh" depends on context, and I use it both as "ehh, whatever" and "I'm not Canadian, but I sound like it, eh?"

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I don't write a lot of non-word words either, but whenever one comes up I'm hesitant about how to write it. Because yeah, who really says, "huh"? Well, I do when I didn't hear someone.

I find myself doing it most of all for pacing reasons. Dialogue is in real time, so when I need to go bam-bam-bam I do it with dialogue. For instance,

"What do you want, you--ahhh!"

has a more immediate effect than:

"What do you want, you--" Buffy cut herself off with a scream.

Um, anyway, yes, colloquialize, that's another question I wanted to ask. I write "gonna" these days despite the fact that I feel it's very wrong. I also wish I could use "haveta", but I don't because it's less commonly seen than "gonna" and causes pause for the reader. I rarely use "'cause" because the word looks like it rhymes with "pause" and "'cuz" just looks so wrong to me. It would be interesting to see who's comfortable with what--like how "wanna" is great with me but "yer" instead of "you're" drives me bonkers.

That's how I use eh as well.

[ukyochan.livejournal.com]

i hope you don't mind me commenting on this topic...but god, you are so right. i stop reading a fic just by scanning the first couple of paragraphs if the grammar and spelling is wonky and completely atrocious. one or two typos i can excuse if it doesn't stop the flow of the written work...in that case, i say bravo to the writer. :)

don't forget the whole "two, too, and to" thing and the whole mess with "your and you're"....pah,grammar,people.

using uh-huh is nod-nod, and nuh-uh is shake-shake.

internet slang should stay on the 'net unless said characters are on said 'net, i.e. using aim,yahoo,irc,bbs etc.

and angel is angel not ANGLE.

grr.

there.

:)

[zibbycomix.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness, my BFF sometimes gets annoyed with me when I write these interjection words the wrong way in e-mails! I write "yea" (a sound of excitement) as "yeah" with an exclamation point on the end. But I also write the "yeah" (of agreement) as "yeah" with a period on the end. So that can get confusing for people. I also write "whoa" as "woah." I even had to look at your spelling to check what the "correct" way to spell it is, since I've always spelled it "woah."
As for how sounds should be spelled during sex, I think I prefer reading "he moaned" vs. something like "Uhhghnn." I don't know, I think that most times it's better to imagine what the moan sounded like rather than trying to describe it.
Anyway, this post was really interesting! I really enjoyed it! =)